D DAY Through German Eyes 2

by Holger Eckhertz

The idea was that the Western Allies were in the pay of the Bolsheviks in the East, who were orchestrating world events against us. I remember that phrase clearly from some of the officers: ‘They are orchestrating world events.’

America and the English were in an unholy alliance with the Bolsheviks, and it was these Russians who were orchestrating world events from Moscow. Moscow – that word! During the war, so many bad things were explained by saying that ‘Moscow arranged it’ or ‘Moscow has done this to us.’ Even when the Americans and the English bombed our cities, when they began destroying whole towns, the newspapers would often say this was done ‘at the command of Moscow.’

One man, who had also been in Normandy, said to me, ‘Is that why we fought, then?’ That was the question. Was that why we fought all those years? Because we were soldiers being ordered to do our duty, and our duty was for nothing if it was to defend all of that in the films.

I heard my commander shout ‘Air attack!’ And then hell on earth came to us in Normandy.

Where were you in August 1945, when you read about Hiroshima? I can tell you exactly: I was in a factory converting German military vehicles into agricultural tractors.

Beating swords into plowshares!!